High casualties following building collapse

Egyptian civilians and emergency services sift through the rubble of a building housing 24 families in the Maamura district of Alexandria which collapsed in the early hours on January 16, 2013. AFP PHOTO/STR

A building has collapsed in Alexandria leaving twenty four people dead and eight injured by Wednesday evening.

Residents living in the neighbourhood of the eight-storey building, in the Ma’amora district of Alexandria, claimed it was built illegally five years ago. Abdel Moneim El-Sharkawy, undersecretary of the Ministry of Health in Alexandria, has confirmed the residents’ claims.

Secretary General of the governorate of Alexandria Ahmed Saleh confirmed during a phone call with CBC TV channel that civil security forces are still looking for residents of the building in the rubble. He added that the building contained 24 apartments.

Civil security forces used trucks and bulldozers to remove rubble in the search for survivors.

Additionally, they evacuated residents of two neighbouring buildings that are also in danger of collapse. The buildings, one six- and the other nine-storey, are metres away from the collapsed building.

Military and naval forces are also participating in the rescue operations.

Injured residents have been transferred to Abu Qeer and Tosson hospitals and the dead have been removed to the morgue.

The collapse is the second high-profile deadly incident in two days in Egypt. A train crash in Badrashein in Giza killed 19 and injured 120 passengers early on Tuesday morning. The clash provoked outrage and protesters attempted to stop train from different railway stations across Egypt. Twelve activists were arrested on Tuesday when they attempted to prevent trains at Egypt Railway station in Alexandria from departing.